In a world that often bombards us with conflicting messages about dieting, body image, and nutrition, it’s easy to lose sight of the true essence of nourishment.

Healing your relationship with food goes far beyond just the physical act of eating; it delves deep into our emotional, mental, and spiritual connections with what we consume. In this post, we will explore the subtle yet powerful signs that indicate you are making progress in this journey of healing and finding balance:

THEN: You used to obsess with reading the calories on food labels, measuring your food, paranoid about portioning yourself the “right amount”, trying to calculate roughly how many calories was in that dinner you had at your family’s place over the weekend

✨ NOW✨ You aren’t counting calories. You are using your internal hunger cues to let you know when you’re hungry and full, you mindfully eat and you consume balanced meals for the most part.

THEN: controlling your food and exercise became your main hobby for quite some time. You couldn’t stop thinking about food and looking at your body to see if you’re making visible progress. Most of what you read, podcasts you listen to, and accounts you follow are diet and fitness related content focused on diet culture and nutrition dogma.

✨ NOW✨ You are interested in different hobbies that don’t revolve around food and controlling your weight. You’re learning new and fun skills like pottery, painting, improv, photography, chess, or picking up an old hobby you once had pre dieting days. Or maybe you are going back to reading books that aren’t nutrition and exercise related.

THEN: First thing you would do when you woke up was to hop on the scale to see if your weight went up or down. If it went up it would put a big dent in your day and if it went down you felt good about yourself.

✨NOW✨ You don’t weigh yourself right when you wake up because you realized it is more helpful for you to base your progress by your energy levels, your mood, your strength progress at the gym, and how well you’re able to manage your stress and emotions. You also realized that it’s handy to have a different range of clothing sizes in your closet because you learned it’s normal for your body to fluctuate up and down a little every month (esp around period week) and wearing clothes that fit comfortably is your priority.

THEN: You used to use opportunities to eat out as your “cheat meal” where you’d splurge and then go back to restricting again. Or eating out would give you anxiety because it was “off plan”, which would send you spiralling back into eating whatever whenever again. You were constantly fluctuating between being “all in” or “all out”.

✨ NOW✨ You feel excited eating out because you know that food is more than just fuel. A healthy and balanced diet includes social connection, bonding over food and building memories.

THEN: You felt like you had to stick to a plan perfectly in order to see results. Strict guidelines was the only way it would work for you otherwise you’d lose all control.

✨ NOW✨ You’re spontaneous with your food, like if a friend comes to surprise visit you from out of town and she wants to check out that new dessert spot in your neighbourhood. Or you order what you like from the menu without looking ahead of time what is the lowest calorie or healthiest option.

Need more support improving your relationship with food and finding balance in your diet? I can help you understand your own psychology to stop unwanted eating patterns. Here’s what one recently graduated client just shared with me:

“Before I go for seconds I pause and ask: “Do I really want that? Is it an emotional thing I’m trying to satisfy, or am I actually hungry?” In the past I wouldn’t think twice. I’m surprised that I carried through with everything and they have become habits now!”

Apply here to learn how and get all the support you need to walk into the new year feeling so much ease around food than you’ve ever experienced before. From recognizing and releasing negative patterns to embracing self-compassion, 1:1 coaching will equip you with practical tools to reshape your perspective on food and embrace a more loving, sustainable approach.